Description
This rich and creamy layered dessert combines a buttery pecan crust with sweetened cream cheese, chocolate and vanilla pudding, and fluffy whipped topping. A nostalgic no-bake (almost!) favorite that’s perfect for parties, potlucks, or casual weeknight indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 10 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 8 ounces cream cheese (regular or 1/3 less fat)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces whipped topping (2 x 8-ounce containers)
- 5.1 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix
- 5.9 ounces chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
- 3 cups cold milk
- ¼ cup grated semi-sweet chocolate bar (optional garnish)
- Additional chopped nuts (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F and coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, melted butter, and chopped pecans until the mixture resembles a crumbly dough. Press evenly into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.
- Mix the cream cheese layer: In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Fold in one 8-ounce container of whipped topping until well combined. Spread evenly over the cooled crust using a spatula. Don’t worry if the crust pulls up slightly—it will be covered with more layers.
- Prepare the pudding layer: In a clean bowl, whisk both pudding mixes with the cold milk until thick and smooth. This should take about 2 minutes. Spread the pudding evenly over the cream cheese layer, smoothing it out to the edges.
- Top with whipped topping: Spread the second container of whipped topping over the pudding layer. For a lighter version, use just enough to cover the surface without piling it on too thick.
- Chill and serve: Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Just before serving, garnish with grated chocolate or chopped nuts if desired. Slice into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- If you’re using a single 12-ounce container of whipped topping, divide it in half between the cream cheese layer and the topping. For a twist, try adding a layer of sliced bananas or a drizzle of caramel before the final whipped topping. Let the dessert rest in the fridge long enough to firm up; this makes slicing cleaner and the flavors more developed. For easy slicing, use a hot, dry knife and wipe between cuts.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking + No-bake assembly
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square (1/12 of recipe)
- Calories: 477
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: 504 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 46 mg